A350 EIS Watchtower: full support from Airbus to Qatar Airways.

With the 2^nd A350 XWB aircraft commencing commercial twice-daily service between Doha and Frankfurt this month, Airbus is developing new ways of working to facilitate the jetliner’s smooth service entry with operators worldwide. 

As part of this approach, Airbus has created the EIS Watchtower program, where team members from different Airbus functions are working closely with Airbus staff based in Doha, Qatar.

“We chose the name ‘EIS Watchtower’ because of lifeguard towers on busy beaches,” explained Thomas Fouché, Airbus’ A350 XWB EIS Watchtower program manager.

“Lifeguards are very alert, monitoring the situation carefully and then triggering actions that avoid or solve problems - we're here to do the same for an aircraft.”

The team is serving as an interface with Doha, using flight test information and data gathered from in-service operations to prioritise issues that are most important for the airline to anticipate problems and accelerate mitigating solutions if needed.  

Fouché explained that this approach has already prevented potential flight delays for Qatar Airways’ A350 XWB aircraft through preventive maintenance measures to address issues before they cause disruptions.

“The EIS Watchtower program is all about collaboration and communication, both of which will matter more and more as additional A350 XWB aircraft enter service,” Fouché said.

“With a steep ramp-up, this collaborative approach can help us avoid the manufacture of aircraft that need to be retrofitted after delivery,” he added.

“Meeting Qatar's high expectations now will give Airbus teams the knowledge they need to continue offering excellent customer support as the fleet grows.”

Based on the press release “Watching out for customers to ensure the A350 XWB’s smooth service entry”